Duplicating machine



Dec. 22, 1953 E. M. MCNABB 2,663,578

DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTo/Q,

m a EDqA/s M. MCNABB; N EY #uw I .ZFo/:NEY

Dec. 22, 1953 E, M MGNABB 2,663,578

DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1952 5 sheets-sheet 5 ITA/VENTO): EDqA/a M MoN/55, jw MJ Q )au/EKU,

mwN/5x4 Dec. 22, 1953 E. M. MGNABB DUPLICATING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 5, 1952 "www YZ'NvENTo/Q, EDqA/z M. MCA/Abb may M 4 m mmv/EY Dec. 22, 1953 Filed Aug. 5, 1952 E. M. MCNABB DUPLICATING MACHINE 5 She ets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR,

EDqA/a M.

MCA/ABB,

Patented Dec. 22, l1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y 2,663,578 l l y DUPLICATING MACHINE Edgar M. McNabb, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application August 5, 1952, Serial No.f302,747

Y 9 Claims.

1 The invention described herein relates to arcg- 'ister wherein a plurality. of forms are brought into a superimposed relationship from any suitable supply source, such as from individual rollers or from a faniold pack tov have carbon paper interleaved therebetween, .particularly to have that carbon paper brought between upper and lower forms to have free ends of the carbon paper directed in the direction of travel ofthe forms through the register, and wherein those carbon sheets are intermittently fed to travel in the same direction as that of the superimposed forms, but to travel at much less distance than is the travel of each individual form.

The invention further involves the feeding of another form transversely of the direction of the primary forms, and utilizing a carbon sheet fed .along with the primary forms, with the further operation of cutting Voff this secondary, transversely fed form-into lengths upon. for example, a one line entry on the superimposed forms. Furthermore, the'invention resides in the various combinations of elements in their new associations as set forth by the appended claims.

The invention is described in one vparticular form as now best known to me in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of `a structure embodying the invention withv portions of the housing and cover broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the structure with a portion of the cover broken away;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2 through a carbon paper roll;

Fig. 4 is a View in section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale in top plan of the table portion of the register with the cover removed;

Fig. 6 is a view in transverse vertical section on the line 6 6 in Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. l is a detail in side elevation on an enlarged scale of the transversely fed paper cutter;

Fig. 8 is a view in transverse section on the line 8 8 inFig.1; I

Fig. 9 is a detail on an enlarged scale in vertical section on the line 9 9 in Fig. 8; and

Fig. l is a detail on an enlarged scale in section on the line I Il I Il in Fig. 9.

The structure is primarily supported upon two spaced apart longitudinallyextending angle irons I and I3.' A pair of rearcolumnsl I1 and I8 and a front plate l!) support therebetween a table 2| which has -side guides 22 and 23 between which forms are guided in straight line directions longitudinally of travel across the table 2|. A housing surrounds the entire mechanism, and has an upper cover 26 closing the upper side thereof with the exception of a window 2l at the forward end portion of the table 2|. l

While the device'may use any desired multiple number of forms 24, that is duplicate, triplicate, quadruplicate and the like, the device is illustrated as having three such forms fed therethrough, the forms being therefore in triplicate.

As illustrated in Fig. l, the three sets of forms, v24, 24a, and 24h are in a fanfold pack carried preferably in a drawer 28 in the extreme rear end of the housing 25. The drawer slides between the angle irons I5 and I6, to be easily removable for refilling with the pack.

Where a separate line by line impression is to be taken at the same -time entries are made on the primary forms 24, 24a, and 24h, such as for the purpose of stock control for inventory systems, and for shipping directions, there is provided a supply of paper either in fan-fold or roll form, herein shown as a roll of tape 2'9 revolubly supported on the side of the device, Figs.6 and 8,' -to have the tape carried upwardly under a friction holding linger 30 and on up and over transversely across the top side of the table 2| rbetween feed rollers 3| and 32 on the left hand upper side of the device'. From between the rollers 3| and 32, the tape 29 is carried downwardly under a stationary shear bar 33 and over a retaining lip |34 and outwardly through the side of the housing 25. y

Where the forms are to be utilized in triplicate. and the tape 29 is employed, there are three rolls of carbon paper 34,' 35, and 36 employed; Each of these carbon paper rolls hasits paper( wound about a core or spooll 3l, hollow to receive therethrough a spindle 38, Figs. 3 and 4.' This spindle 38 has on its right hand side a circular plate 39 from. which extends a tubular sleeve 40 telescoping over the'spindle 38 to terminate by an end to abut the end of the spool 31 for aligning the right hand4 edge of the carbon paper in respect to its presentation over the table 2|. In order to retain the spool 3l in fixed longitudinal position along the spindle 38 there are provided a plurality ofspring fingers 4I, herein shown as three Vin, number, Fig. 4, to have ends turned downwardly into a groove 42 around the spindle 38, and extend therefrom over thespindle V38 and within the thimble 4I) into the inside of the spool 3l to grip the inside wall thereof frictionally. VAt the other end `of the spool 3l there is inserted a ferrule 43 to entery into the end' of the spool g-j if 2,663,578

31 in order to centrally align that spool With the axis of the spindle 3B.

Extending rearwardly from the rear posts l5 and I6 are vertically disposed plates 44 and 45, as means for supporting the three carbon paper rolls. The plate 44 carries, fixed thereto, a thimble 46, Fig. 3, to extend inwardly from the plate 44 and to have a plate 41 fixed thereto, throughlwhich there is an opening into the tube 46 to permit ith'eendjtf of the spindle 38 to enter revolublyltherein.' The" spindle plate 36 carries thereon a friction breaking member 4S to be compressed between the plate 39 and the plate 41.

The other end of the spindle 38 passes `freely through the plate 45 to have its end 5 6 entered into a socket 51 carried by a springtongue 52 in turn secured to the plate 45 wherebythe tongue A 52 can yieldingly urge the spindle 38 longitudinally toward the plate 41 to effect the compressive engagement of the friction material 49 with the plate 41 so as toifrictionally resist. rotation of the spindle v38... Each' ofthe. vother rolls 35 and 36 are mounted in exactly the same manner.

y Carbon paper fromthe roll 34 is pulled across the table 2| to overlaylthe .tape 29.. Forrn2b is brought up over the vrear side kof .the carbon paper roll34 preferably over a bar A63 :between the rolls 34 and 35, andcarried forwardly over the carbon paper 34 across thetable 2|. Then the next form 24a is brought up over the cross vbar 54 to have carbon paper from the roll 35 carried along with and under that form Manso as to have both the carbon paper and the `form 24a overlap rthe first form 24h. VThen the carbon paper from the roll 36is carried over the top of the form 24a across the table 2l, and nally'the form 24 is brought over the carbon paper 36.

The carbon paper as indicated in Fig. 2 Vhas a width less than the spacing between the form guides 22 and 23, therefore-being less in Vwidth than the'width of the forms24.- In other words, the carbon papers 34, 35 and 36 do not come into contact with these guides 22 and 23V and are at no time guided thereby. To' the contra-ry, all three sets-of the forms 24 are guided between Ithese guides 22 and 23 intheir passage across the table. The top form 24 as described as comins over the carbonV paper 36 .is supported from direct drag on the roll of that paper by means of a transverse rounded plate '55. 'f f At the front end of the table 2|, there are a pair of upright posts 56 `and 51, herein shown as constituting upturned legs from a transverse bar 58 secured to the angle irons I5 and I6, Fig. 8.

These posts 56 and 51 serve as supports for the U transverse shaft 59 and for an upper presser roller shaft 66.Y j

Fixed to the shaft 59. and inside of the posts 56 and 51, are two paper form feed rolls 6i and 62.- These-rolls 6l .and 62 aregspaced apartV on the shaft 59 that distance which willperrnit the peripheries of those rollers to lie immediately under the extreme marginal edge portions respectively of the form 2 4, that is those edge portions which are adjacent vthe guides 22 and 23. The top sides of the peripheries of the rollers 6l and 62 are substantially in the plane of the top side of the table 2l., The carbon papers 34, 35, and 36 will pass between these rollers 6iand 62 without contact in any respect therewith. -Each set of forms 24, 24a, and-24h is provided with punchings, elliptical in shape longitudinally of the direction of travel of the forms, indicated by the numerals 63 and 64, these punchings bef ing located near the top edge of the respective forms as defined by the perforated line 65, Fig. 5. These punchings 63 and 64 are immediately adjacent the respective side edges of the forms. These punchings 63, 64 furthermore will pass over the peripheral portions of the rollers 6I and 62.

The upper transverse shaft 6D carries the respective rollers 66 and 61 in vertical alignment With the rollers 6l and 62 thereunder. This shaft 60 is compressively urged toward the shaft 59 by means of compression springsFig. 9, 68, one in each of the posts 56 and 51 carried downwardly against the shaft 60 by means of the adjusting screws 66. Normally, in the absence of any forms therebetweenL these rollers 66 and 61 would be compressively urged into rolling contact with the rollers 6.1 land 62 thereunder. The forms 24, 24o,L and 24h when initially fed across the table 2i have their forward ends, that is their normally upwardly disposed ends, placed between therollers. 66, 6l and 61, 62, to. bring the forms or rulings'on the forms into proper alignment as viewed through the Window21.

The rollers 6l and 62 are provided with lobes orcams 10 and 1I respectively which are spaced to come up against the roller 6,6y and 61 outside of the side edgesy of the forms 24, Fig. 5. These cams 'lllV and 1l serve to lift the rollers 66 and 61 from compressive contact against the forms, so that the forms may be freely pulled between the rollers 66, 6l and 61, 62. that is in non-feeding relation. Normally the pressure of the upper rollers 66 and 61 against the under rollers 6i and 62 is suicient to carry all of the forms therebetween and over the table 2l, it being expressly understood that the carbon papers 34, 35, and 36 remain stationary in respect to longitudinal travel and are not fed along with these forms by means of the rollers` 66 and 61.

Each roller 6l and 62, Fig. 9', carries a nger 12 to extend normally beyond the periphery of not only the roller itself, but also the periphery of the cams 10 and 1l. The finger 12 is fixed on a rockably mounted pin 13 to which is xed an arm 14. A tension spring 15 interconnects this arm 14 with a xed abutment |16 carried by the roller 62 as indicated in Fig. 9. The spring 15 therefore tends to .maintain yieldingly the finger 12 in its outermost position. The shaft 59 is provided with a crank 16 externally of the housing 25 as a means of rotating the shaft. By turning the crank 16, the ngers 12 are brought around to enter the punchings 63 and 64, these lingers being turned uppermost when the forms are originally positioned on the table 2i for feed alignment. In other words, the forms are aligned one over the other tohave the punchings 63 and 64 in the respective forms in alignment and to have the fingers 12 extending therethrough. Then the crank 16 is turned to carry the forms forwardly and to carry the cams 10 and 1I on around to allow the rollers 66 and 61 to come down into their normal compressive engagement against the forms to grip them between those rollers 66 and 61 and the rollers 6l and 62 for normal feeding of the forms. As the ngers 12 come around, they will contact the rollers 66 and 61, and by reason of the spring 15 in each instance. those fingers 12 will yieldingly retract and rock relatively rearwardly to relieve those fingers from engagement through the punchings 63 and v611 to permit the forms to travel on past the fingers.

To cooperate with those fingers 12, there is a rocker plate 11 provided to be pivotally engaged by its outer ends `through the pins 18 and 19 with upper end portions of the posts 56 and 51.v The rocker plate 11 is cut away to form a boundary around the sides and the upper portion of the window 21. The plate 11 consists essentially of two side fingers 80 and 8| extending down along the marginal side portions ofthe forms, to be interconnected by a forward transverse portion 82. The fingers 8E and 9| are each provided with slots 83 and 94 in alignment with the punchings 53 and S4 so that the forms 24 are held downwardly against the plate 2| when the fingers 12 come up through those punchings and effect a longitudinal movement into alignment of the three forms, the fingers 89 and di bearing just enough to prevent lifting of the papers, andr yet permitting those papers to be easily separately moved by the fingers 12 to effect longitudinal movement into alignment of the three different forms.

In other words, upon each complete revolution of the crank 15, and corresponding one complete revolution of the rollers 5| and 62, the three forms are inter-aligned one with the other'by means of these fingers '127. The circumferential lengths of the peripheries of these rollers 5| and 02 correspond to the overall feed length for one individual length ofl form 24.

The transverse tape 29 is fed by travel of the rollers 3|, 32. driven by means of aiiexible shaft 85 directly connected to a spur gear 89 which is in constant mesh with a drive gear B1 mounted on a transverse shaft 98. This shaft 88 extends outwardly through the housing on the same ,side as is mounted the crank 10, and the shaft 98 carries on this outer end a crank 89. A second spur gear 90 is in constant mesh with the gear S1, and this spur gear 99 is xed on a transverse shaft 9i which extends across to the opposite side of the device, to carry in fixed relation thereon a cam 92.

A knife 93 is rockably mounted cna pivotbolt 94 on the side of the bar to he swingable across the under edge of the bar in shear action, the bar 93 swinging upwardly to effect a shear out of the tape 29 which extends between the under side of the bar 33 and over the lip 34. The knife 93 has a rear heel portion 95 extending past the pivot bolt 94 to be in the path of the cam 92, so that as the shaft 9i revolvesin the direction of the arrow, clockwise as viewed in '1, the knife 93' willV be rocked downwardly. An arm QE extends downwardly from the junction of the knife 93 and the arm 95 centrally of the pivot axis through the ,bolt 9d to have springs volves, it will pull the knife 93 down in opposition to the spring 91, which spring will in turn kick the knife 93 upwardly ,in a snap action vwhen the cam 92 has traveled beyond the foot 95. and the spring 98 serves to return the knife to its down position. These two springs` E?? and S53 bala-nce and pull when the knife 93 is positioned as indicated in solid lines.

rTurning of the crank 39 also controls the Aline by line feed of the forms 24 after the forms `t4 have been initially aligned by the fingers 'i2l in the manner above described. On thefshaftY there is mounted an eccentricl |0| aroudwhich is One of Vthese rollers, roller 32, is

astrap' |02. Fixedto the strap |02 is apawl |03 extending forwardly to drop by its forward end into the path of a ratchetwheel l 04 mounted on the shafth59 outside of the'post 55. Further, this rratchet wheel |04'is ymounted outside of the spur gear'l05 which is also nxedto the shaft 50 and is in constant mesh with the pinion gear |05 fixed to the upper presser roller shaft 59 so that the presser rollers V66 and 6 1 are positively vdriven along with the rollers 6| @and 02 when the crank 16is turned, or when the shaft 59 is turned. A spring |01 normally and yieldingly holds the forward end of the pawl I 03-ldown againstthe teeth ofthe wheel |04. Y Thus, upon each turn of the crank' 89, the pawl |03 is reciprocated fore and aft to engage with a predetermined number of teeth on the ratchet wheel |04 depending upon the'throw of 'the eccentric |0|. One particular setting would be for the shaft 59 to advance the forms 24 one full'line at a time. In other words, after one line of the formiis written upon through the Window 21, the turning of the crank 89 one complete revolution'will advance the 'forms the distance between adjacent cross rulings so that only one line at a time of the form 24 is presented for writingv thereon; This line will be immediately above the tape 29 thereunder and lying against the table 2 l'.

When the form 24.` has been filled out as far as itis intended to be filled, then the crank 39 is no longer turned, to give exposure of the form 24 one line at a timethro'ugh the window 21, but the'crank 16 is then turned to carry the forms on out to have the perforated line B5 come under the tear off lip |08.

"Sofar there hasbeen no .feed longitudinally of the tab-le 2| of the'carbonpapers 34, 35 and 39. These carbon papers are fed only a distance once each complete revolution of the crank 15. Even then, the carbon papers are fed only a relatively' short. distance, .preferably not exceeding the spacing apart of the transverse ruled lines on the form 24'.

This feeding of the carbon papers is effected asfollows: There is a roller 1||0 mounted subv stantially centrally of the length of the shaft ii'between the rollers 56 and 51. The forms 2.4 pass under this rollerl I0. `On the shaft 59 there isa cam, herein shown as a pin to be in the path of an arm ||2 which is rockably mounted toswing vertically .under "thelevel of the table 2|. This arm ||2,which' is herein shown as being pivoted on the pin ||3 through a bracket ||4 which extends downwardly from under the table 2| andrrearwardly of the shaft 59, to have the arm v| |2 normally positioned to incline forwardly and downwardly over the shaft 59.

" From the arm I2, there is carried a leaf spring ||5 to extend forwardly and thence around throughra loop ||6 rearwardly by a length I1 to terminate in an up and forwardly directed leg ||8'. .Thisfleg ||8 is so positioned that when the pin is brought against the under side of the arm ||2, it will come upwardlyto press through a an opening ||9 in the'table -lagainst the stack of carbon papers and forms lying on the table 2| and under the vroller I I0 `to make a like compressive contact against that stack compressing it against the roller`1||0` for momentary cornpres'sion as long as the pin maintains the armVr ||2 in the elevatedposition as indicated in Fig. 9. Y Now this contactl of the'leg H8 with the stackofpapers can be made at any time as long as the rollers 66` and"61 are incompressive conlocated at said transfer material supply source maintaining said transfer stripl under longitudinaLtenSiOnVbetween said material source and its free endpmeans aligning said record sheets at the end of said advancement and setting up positive engagement between said record strip feeding means'andth'e frecord'sheets for' a successive starting feeding of those strips; and means compressively holding said transferstrip against said record sheets mnnentarilyV operated -byfhsaid record strip feeding means prior to operation of said aligning and starting means; said transfer strip holding means yielding to permit a degree of advancement of the transfer strip, wherein the degree is but an increment of the overall said record strip advancement.

6. A duplicating machine wherein a plurality of record strips and at least one transfer material strip, all having free leading-ends, are carried in interleaved, superposed relation from individual supply sources over a table, and a tape is carried across the table under said transfer strip in a transverse direction relative to the strip travel, the combination of record strip feeding means normally advancing said record strips only across the table a predetermined distance, said feeding means engaging the marginal side edges record sheets momentarily operated by said'reca ord strip feeding meansprior to operation of saidr aligning and starting means; said 'transferstrip holding means yieldingto permit a degree of adl" vancement'of'the' transfer strip, wherein the degree is butan increment `tof the. overall saidrecord strip advancement; ,and means operable in conjunction with said'record strip'fe'eding means,

ment leaving said transfer strip free of engagement between said edges; means yieldingly holding said transfer strip against advancement with said record strips due to frictional drag of the record strips thereover, said holding means being located at said transfer material supply source maintaining said transfer strip under longitudinal tension between said material source and its free end; means aligning said record sheets at the end of said advancement and settin-g up positive engagement between said record strip feeding means and the record sheets for a successive starting feeding of those strips; and means compressively holding said transfer strip against said record sheets momentarily operated by saidrecord strip feeding means prior to operation of said aligning and starting means; said transfer strip holding means yielding to permit a degree of advancement of the transfer strip, wherein the degree is but an increment of the overall said record strip advancement; and means operable in conjunction with said record strip feeding means, advancing said tape transversely across the record strips.

7. A duplicating machine wherein a plurality of record strips and at least onev transfer material strip, all having free leading ends, are carried in interleaved, superposed relation from individual supply sources over a table, and a tape is carried -across the table under said transfer strip in a transverse direction relative to the strip travel, the combination of record strip feeding means normally advancing said record strips only across the table a predetermined distance, said feeding means engaging the marginal side edges only of said record strips during said advancement leaving said transfer strip free of engagement between said edges; means yieldingly holding said transfer strip against advancement with said record strips due to frictional drag of the record strips thereover, said holding means being located at said transfer material supply source maintaining said transfer strip under lon-gitudinal tension between said material source andits free end; means aligning said record sheets at the end of said advancement and setting up positive engagement between sai-d record strip feedadvancing said tape transversely across the rec'- ord strips; said tape .advancing means simultaneously operating said record strip feeding means an increment only of the total of said predetermined distance, for each tape advancement of the width of the record strips.

8. A duplicating machine wherein a plurality of record strips and at least one transfer material strip, Iall having free leading ends, are carried in interleaved, superposed relation from individual supply sources over a table, and a tape is carried `across the table under said transfer strip in a transverse direction relative to the strip travel, the combination of record strip feeding means normally advancing said record strips only across the table a predetermined distance, said feeding means engaging the marginal side edges only of said record strips during said advance- `ment leaving said transfer strip free of engagement between said edges; means yieldingly holding said transfer strip against advancement with said record strips due to frictional drag of the record stripsthereover, said holding means being located at said transfer material supply source maintaining said transfer strip under longitudinal tension between said material source and its free end; means aligning said record sheets at the end of said advancement and setting up positive engagement between said record strips feeding means and the record sheets for a successive starting feeding of those strips; and means compressively holding said transfer strip against said record sheets momentarily operated by said record strip feeding means prior to operation of said :aligning and starting means; said transfer strip holding means yielding to permit a degree of advancement of the transfer strip, wherein the degree is but an increment of the overall said record strip advancement; and means operable in conjunction with said record strip feeding means, advancing said tape transversely across the record strips; said 'tape advancing means simultaneously operating said record strip feeding means an increment only of the total of said predetermined distance, for each tape advancement of the width of the record strips; and means actuated by said tape advancing means clipping off the tape portion advanced beyond the side edges of the record strips.

9. In a duplicating machine vwherein a plurality of record sheets are directed in superposed relation one way by free leading ends from a supply source across a table, a plurality of transfer ma- -terial sheets are interleaved between said record sheets directed by free ends therebetween of continuous strips leading from a supply source one of said transfer material sheets being under the lowermost of the record sheets, and a tape directed across the table under said one transfer sheet and transversely thereof, means advancing' the record sheets a predetermined distance; means normally holding said transfer sheets during said record sheet advancement; means interengaging the transfer sheets with said record 

